The third edition of Ostia Antica Festival kicks off

The third edition of Ostia Antica Festival, the program of events at the Roman Theater of Ostia Archaeological Park, kicks off for 2018 on June 15 with a rich and varied program: proposals with personalities from the national and international scene, two months of performances, and moments of high culture.

“Dance, singing and acting,” recalls Mariarosaria Barbera, director of the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park, “make an unforgettable visit to a wonderful Roman city, Ostia Antica, the largest of those preserved after the decline of the Roman Empire. The Theater is reached by walking along the ancient Via Ostiense, with its original pavement of volcanic stone blocks. You pass through a vast necropolis before arriving at the Roman Gate, manned by the giant statue of Victory. Before arriving at the structures of the Ancient Theater one still encounters several blocks of large structures - warehouses for goods and food placed along the Decumanus, not far from the Tiber on which they traveled to reach the nerve center of the Empire.”

The Festival at the Roman Theater this year, as in previous editions, presents a truly prestigious playbill, full of proposals, thanks to the great Italian and international personalities who will take turns on stage for almost two months of performances.

The opening is entrusted to Amii Stewart & Gerardo Di Lella Pop O’rchestra with the show Anni 70 - the “Dance Era” that together with 22 elements, (nine wind instruments, six singers and double rhythm) will re-propose theoriginal atmosphere of the most famous and exciting songs such as Le Freak by Chic, Cuba by the Gibson Brothers, Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You by Gloria Gaynor, The Best Disco in Town by the Ritchie Family , YMCA by the Village People, Mamma Mia and Waterloo by Abba. But that’s not all: Di Lella and Amii Stewart will dedicate an unmissable tribute, five years after her passing, to Donna Summer, ’The Queen of Disco’ with a medley of her unforgettable songs.

It continues on June 24 with JEFF BECK, one of the most influential rock guitarists ever and among the most important for the evolution of the modern guitar, who will perform songs from his legendary repertoire in an amazing show.

On July 7, THE QUEEN ORCHESTRA will take the stage in "Bohemian Symphony - Concert for Rock Group, Orchestra and Chorus": Queen’s greatest hits interpreted by an ensemble of 50 artists. for two hours of pure spectacle in which symphonic music, projections and “live camera show” will frame unforgettable songs such as The Show Must Go On, Barcelona, Under Pressure, Somebody to Love and Bohemian Rhapsody.

On July 10 , the dream pop of CIGARETTES AFTER SEX: The band formed by Greg Gonzalez, Phillip Tubbs, Randy Miller and Jake Tomsky released their debut album “Cigarettes After Sex” last year - preceded by the single “K” which to date has reached more than 5 million views on YouTube.

On July 13 and 14, two days when great dance will take center stage with the first edition of theHERITART FESTIVAL , which will feature performances on the theme of the Mediterranean Sea.

On July 13 at 9 p.m. SHELTERING SEA, the contemporary dance performance with choreography by Igor Kirov and the Croatian National Theatre Split Ballet ensemble to music by the Balanescu Quartet and Alva Noto, an emotional journey through people and cultures, with a multicultural cast of six dancers on stage, to “dance the sea,” the focus of this artistic quest of the famous Macedonian choreographer, whose rich international career has been acclaimed with numerous awards.

On July 14 at 6:30 p.m. it will be the turn of MEDITERRANEO SUITE, a traveling performance with music from Mediterranean cultures curated by Daniele Cipriani and Maitre du BalletStefania Di Cosmo. “Mediterraneo Suite” is not a narrative work but an evocative one: a true circumnavigation of the Mediterranean, through the music of the cultures that overlook it, making the viewer travel through space and time in a journey between archaeology, music and dance.

In the evening, at 9 p.m., MEDITERRANEAN, a major production, with choreography by Mauro Bigonzetti, created in 1993 for the Balletto di Toscana that after a resounding success is renewed today 25 years after its debut: Bigonzetti’s most performed choreography in the world, will be revived with 18 solo dancers from Daniele Cipriani Entertainment.

On July 19 , the big comeback of Alter Bridge singer MYLES KENNEDY, who after a SOLD OUT at Milan’s Magazzini Generali last April 4 in an unforgettable show, returns to Italy to play live acoustic tracks from his first and new solo album entitled “Year Of The Tiger.” Opening alongside Myles Kennedy will be Dorian Sorriaux, guitarist for the Blues Pills, with his own project.

July 20 the long-awaited return to Rome of NINO D’ANGELO with his 6.0 European Tour, with which he has been “overbooked” everywhere from north to south of the country and Europe (from Milan to Turin, Reggio Emilia, Cosenza, Rome, Catania and Palermo; from Germany to Switzerland).

On July 21, "CARMINA BURANA - DALLE RADICI DELLA TRADIZIONE A CARL ORFF," the new and exclusive production by MENTI ASSOCIATE, will take place thanks to the conception and musical direction of Nando Citarella, Stefano Saletti and Pejman Tadayon of Café Lotì who will perform together with their folk ensemble sharing the stage with one hundred elements including singers, musicians and choir, directed by Maestro Giovanni Cernicchiaro, for the encounter between folk tradition and cultured music.

On July 22 and July 25, two concerts featuring two outstanding musicians are scheduled:DAMIEN RICE, considered one of the best international singer-songwriters of our time, will stop at the Roman Theater with his Wood Water Wind Tour, and BURT BACHARACH, one of the greatest composers of all time, with a charismatic hero personality that has enabled him to transcend generational boundaries by writing some of the most acclaimed songs in music history, who returns to tour Europe to celebrate his 90th birthday.

On July 24, Fabio Morgan ’s new production for Progetto Goldstein, FASCISMO MON AMOUR, a play by Leonardo Ferrari Carissimi, based on Plautus’ Miles Gloriosus for the first time on stage with the Compagnia del Teatro dell’Orologio, a comedy of misunderstandings at once amusing and brilliant like the best Roman theater, a comedy that behind its vicissitudes keeps hidden, not even too well, a violent critique of the crumbling empire.

On July 26 it will be the turn of the great return of LATTE E I SUOI DERIVATI, in concert with the historic lineup as always: Claudio Greg Gregori and Lillo Petrolo on vocals, Paolo Di Orazio on drums and Fabio “The Fabulous” Taddeo on guitars, Attilio Di Giovanni on keyboards and Ingo Schwartz on bass. The set list will include historic and indispensable songs (rearranged ad usum delphini), songs too often forgotten (foolishly by the band, deliberately by the audience) and brand new compositions.

On July 28, after last year’s sold-out show, PINK FLOYD LEGEND return with “Live At Ostia Antica” with a performance - in addition to the greatest hits - of the songs that Pink Floyd performed live at the legendary 1971 concert-event “Live At Pompeii,” with a new and unique stage set-up to reproduce the evocative atmosphere, sounds and lights of the original.

Ostia Antica Festival - Il Mito e il Sogno will conclude on Sept. 9 with PINTUS@OSTIA ANTICA, a live show conceived for television filming, the logical continuation of the “specials” related to Angelo Pintus’ theater shows and following the trajectory of his artistic growth.

The performance at the Roman Theater, the only summer date in 2018, will feature musicians and dancers and will be recorded by Italia Uno to be aired the following week.

The third edition of Ostia Antica Festival “The Myth and the Dream” is organized by the Ancient Roman Theater business consortium, in collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Ancient Ostia.

In the photo, the Roman Theater of Ostia. Ph. Credit

The third edition of Ostia Antica Festival kicks off

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